Conservation Stories

Sandhills Area Research Association
  • 4.7 (7)
  • Non-Profit
  • Updated Weekly

Conservation Stories chronicles the ongoing work of the Sandhills Area Research Association along with old and new friends in the agriculture space.

  1. 4d ago

    The Dry Side Dispatch • August 21th • Todd Baughman

    We are proud to bring you our local radio show, The Dry Side Dispatch. All past episodoes of the radio show are available on the Sandhills Area Research Association You Tube channel. You can also listen live via the YouTube chanel on Friday's at Noon. All future episodes will now be included on this platform and the Sandhills Area Research Association's website.  The Dry Side Dispatch is a West Texas radio show and media project from the Sandhills Area Research Association broadcast live on KRFE 95.9 FM. Hosted by Tillery Timmons-Sims, Andy Timmons, and Dusty Timmons, the program focuses on regional agriculture, land conservation, hunting, oil and gas, and local news This episode of The Dry Side Dispatch features a wide-ranging conversation with Texas AgriLife Extension’s Todd Baumann about the realities facing West Texas agriculture. The group discusses extreme differences in rainfall and drought conditions, the limitations of long-range weather forecasting, and the increasingly difficult economics of producing cotton as input costs rise and commodity prices fluctuate. They also spend time on the mental and emotional strain of farming, highlighting AgriLife’s Farm Hope program and the importance of resources that understand the unique pressures agricultural families face. From there, the conversation expands into local food production, misconceptions surrounding “corporate farming,” ethanol and agricultural subsidies, changing farm infrastructure, and the challenges of diversifying crops and markets. The episode closes on a more forward-looking note, discussing agricultural research, new cotton varieties, rapidly advancing technology, and an upcoming event involving NASA technology and opportunities for collaboration in agriculture.

  2. 6d ago

    Catching Every Drop: Rainwater Harvesting, Stormwater Reuse, and the Future of Water Conservation

    Tillery Timmons-Sims visits with Heather Kinkade of ARCSA International to talk about rainwater harvesting, stormwater catchment, and how communities can make better use of the water that falls on rooftops, streets, and developed spaces. Heather explains the difference between rainwater and stormwater, how captured water can be treated for different uses, and why these systems are becoming increasingly important as water supplies tighten. From rain barrels and rooftop systems to rain gardens, curb cutouts, underground tanks, and large-scale commercial projects, this conversation explores practical ways homeowners, builders, cities, and entrepreneurs can rethink water conservation. It’s a hopeful look at how many small, coordinated solutions can add up to a more resilient water future. More about our guest:  Heather Kinkade, Executive Director for ARCSA International Website - https://arksainternational.org/ For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates  •  Instagram  •  Facebook  •  LinkedIn •  X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

    Catching Every Drop: Rainwater Harvesting, Stormwater Reuse, and the Future of Water Conservation

  3. Aug 20

    The Dry Side Dispatch • August 14th • Nick Bergfeld

    We are proud to bring you our local radio show, The Dry Side Dispatch. All past episodoes of the radio show are available on the Sandhills Area Research Association You Tube channel. You can also listen live via the YouTube chanel on Friday's at Noon. All future episodes will now be included on this platform and the Sandhills Area Research Association's website.  The Dry Side Dispatch is a West Texas radio show and media project from the Sandhills Area Research Association broadcast live on KRFE 95.9 FM. Hosted by Tillery Timmons-Sims, Andy Timmons, and Dusty Timmons, the program focuses on regional agriculture, land conservation, hunting, oil and gas, and local news This episode of The Dry Side Dispatch explores how communities balance short-term costs with long-term value, beginning with new possibilities for treated produced water in the Permian Basin and expanding into a broader discussion of Lubbock’s growth, infrastructure, education, and public investment. The hosts and guest Nick discuss how parks, neighborhood schools, roads, utilities, and public programs can create benefits that are difficult to measure purely in dollars, while also acknowledging the need for responsible spending and better long-term planning. Much of the conversation centers on preserving a sense of community as Lubbock grows, questioning whether government should always be “run like a business,” and considering how past decisions around electricity, development, schools, and maintenance have shaped the city today.

  4. Aug 18

    Leasing the Land: Renewable Energy, Conservation Easements, and the Next Generation of Stewardship

    Dusty Timmons visits with attorney and conservation advocate Cole Payne about the changing landscape of Texas land use. From wind and solar leases to battery storage, data centers, remediation requirements, and long-term landowner protections, Cole explains why landowners need to understand the details before signing agreements that could shape their property for generations. The conversation also turns toward conservation easements and the importance of preserving working lands, wildlife habitat, and outdoor traditions. Cole shares how programs like Texas Brigades are helping young people connect with natural resources, build leadership skills, and carry conservation forward into the future.

    Leasing the Land: Renewable Energy, Conservation Easements, and the Next Generation of Stewardship

  5. Aug 11

    Rehydrating the High Plains: Small Structures, Big Water Hope

    Tillery Timmons-Sims visits with Will Masters of Ogallala Life Conservation to learn about landscape rehydration work happening in the Amarillo area. Will shares how his team is using natural materials like rocks, brush, trees, and old Christmas trees to build small “leaky dam” structures that slow runoff, capture sediment, and help water soak back into dryland creek systems. From Wildcat Bluff Nature Center to Rock Creek in Borger, this conversation explores how small, place-based restoration projects can improve watershed health, reduce flooding, support vegetation, and create hope for a more water-secure High Plains. It’s a reminder that conservation does not always come from one silver bullet, but from many small efforts that add up over time. More about our guest:  Will Masters. Attorney. Environmental Educator at Wildcat Bluff Nature Center. Director at Ogallala Life (now a program of Ogallala Commons) Instagram - ogallalalife & wmasters3 Website - www.ogallala.life For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates  •  Instagram  •  Facebook  •  LinkedIn •  X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

    Rehydrating the High Plains: Small Structures, Big Water Hope

  6. Aug 4

    Fishing’s Future: Building Families, Conservation, and Outdoor Confidence

    Dusty Timmons visits with Michael Scherer of Fishing’s Future to talk about helping families discover the outdoors through fishing, education, and conservation. Michael shares how the organization began as a way to teach families together, not just kids, and how its programs have grown to include family fish camps, school partnerships, adaptive fishing opportunities, ambassador training, and hands-on conservation education. This conversation explores why fishing is more than catching fish. It is a way to build memories, reconnect generations, teach responsibility for natural resources, and give families the confidence to keep going outdoors together long after the first cast.

    Fishing’s Future: Building Families, Conservation, and Outdoor Confidence

  7. Jul 28

    Saving the Ogallala: Water Rights, Incentives, and the Future of Dryland Agriculture

    Tillery Timmons-Sims welcomes back Ladonna Clayton for a conversation about groundwater conservation, agricultural transition, and what it takes to protect the Ogallala Aquifer before the well runs dry. Ladonna shares how her work in eastern New Mexico is helping producers voluntarily retire irrigation wells, conserve water, and transition to new forms of agricultural production without leaving families or communities behind. The episode explores incentive-based water conservation, conservation easements, aquifer rebound data, the role of state and federal funding, and the possibility of a “CRP for water” approach that could help farmers, ranchers, municipalities, and rural economies adapt for the future. More about our guest:  Ladona Clayton, Executive Director, Ogallala and & Water Conservancy Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Dr.LKC/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ladona-clayton-8a98a423/ Website - ogalwc.org For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates  •  Instagram  •  Facebook  •  LinkedIn •  X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

    Saving the Ogallala: Water Rights, Incentives, and the Future of Dryland Agriculture

  8. Jul 21

    From Local Food to Field to Fork: Dana Dykema’s Journey into Hunting

    Dusty Timmons visits with Dana Dykema of the Ignite Podcast and Women Hunt to talk about her path into hunting as an adult, beginning with a desire to better understand where her food comes from. Dana shares how her work connecting local farmers with consumers led her into conversations about regenerative agriculture, conservation, and eventually hunting as a deeper expression of food responsibility. The conversation follows Dana’s first hunt, her family’s growing interest in the outdoors, the challenges of learning as an adult-onset hunter in Canada, and the community she has found through Women Hunt, the Wild Sheep Foundation, and the Ignite Podcast. It’s a story about food, family, courage, and finding your place in the conservation world.

    From Local Food to Field to Fork: Dana Dykema’s Journey into Hunting
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Conservation Stories chronicles the ongoing work of the Sandhills Area Research Association along with old and new friends in the agriculture space.

Information

  • Creator
    Sandhills Area Research Association
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    109
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Conservation Stories

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